Jakarta: Stark images, captured from a drone by environmental campaigners and shared with the BBC, appear to show how nickel mining has stripped forests and polluted waters in one of the most biodiverse marine habitats on Earth.
According to BBC, the Raja Ampat archipelago, a group of small islands in Indonesia's Southwest Papua Province, has been dubbed the "Amazon of the Seas." However, mining for nickel—an essential component in electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel—has intensified there in recent years, as reported by the organisation Global Witness. Photographs taken by Global Witness as part of an investigation appear to show the environmental damage already inflicted.
Aerial images reveal forest loss and sediment run-off into waters that host biodiverse coral reefs. Global Witness informed the BBC that land use for mining across multiple small islands in the archipelago increased by 500 hectares—equivalent to about 700 football pitches—between 2020 and 2024. Some conservationists, including Greenpeace, are concerned that the government's decision could be overturned by legal action from mining companies.
Currently, a company operating on Gag Island, known for its rich nickel deposits, has been permitted to continue operations. The government announced plans to mandate the "restoration of the ecological impacts that occur" there. Coral reef conservationist and ecologist Dr. Mark Erdmann expressed his astonishment and satisfaction with the government's decision to revoke mining permits. He told BBC News, "This is the global epicenter of marine biodiversity."
Dr. Erdmann, who has worked in Raja Ampat for over two decades and co-founded a shark rewilding project called Reshark, emphasized that the public's outrage compelled the government to take action. Yet, this ecological controversy illustrates the environmental damage that can accompany the demand for metals needed to power battery technology for electric vehicles and other low-carbon energy sources.
Indonesia now accounts for more than half of the world's nickel mine production, as per a report last year by the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. While Raja Ampat's beauty and biodiversity have highlighted mining activity there, mining has been linked to ecological damage in other regions as well. A 2024 study by Forest Watch Indonesia found a correlation between forest loss associated with mining activity and increased local flooding and landslides.
The increasing demand for critical minerals is shaping economic decisions worldwide. It was the driving force behind President Trump's recent executive order to accelerate the mining of metallic nodules from the deep sea in international waters, a move China has deemed illegal.
Dr. Erdmann noted that balancing economic growth with environmental protection is a particular challenge for Indonesia. He stated, "It has a lot of nickel—one way or the other, some of it's going to come out of the ground."
Dr. Michaela Guo Ying Lo from the University of Kent led a 2024 study on the impact of mining on local communities in Sulawesi, the large Indonesian island with most of the country's nickel deposits. The study concluded that while mining activity slightly reduced poverty, it significantly worsened environmental well-being, including increased local water and air pollution.
"Indonesia is positioning itself globally in the nickel market," Dr. Lo told BBC News. "But it's important not to forget what's happening locally."
Imam Shofwan, an environmental campaigner from Jatam based in Jakarta, told BBC News, "They say nickel is a solution to the climate crisis. But it's causing deforestation and destroying farmland." He also highlighted that low-lying coastal areas with nickel deposits are particularly vulnerable to climate change effects, including rising sea levels.
Dr. Erdmann commented on the dilemma, stating, "The nickel dilemma is a horrible one. Mining is always going to be environmentally impactful and we all tend to think that electrification is a good idea. But what is the acceptable damage that we're willing to see?"
The BBC contacted the Indonesian government for comment but did not receive a reply.